- Today's Word
Ebullient
ih-BUHL-yuhnt (or ih-BOOL-yuhnt)
Definition
- (adjective) Overflowing with enthusiasm, energy, or excitement; exuberant.
Example
Her ebullient personality lit up every room she entered, making her the heart of every gathering.
Fun Fact
“Ebullient” comes from the Latin ebullire, meaning “to bubble out.” Originally used to describe boiling liquids, the word evolved to capture figurative “bubbling over” of emotions or excitement. It’s a vivid reminder of how language connects physical phenomena to human emotions.
(noun) The range of one’s knowledge, understanding, or awareness.
Quantum physics lies far beyond my ken, no matter how many articles I read.
Ken comes from Old English cennan, meaning “to know” or “to make known,” and is closely related to Middle English and Scots usage where it meant knowledge, perception, or recognition. Over time, the word narrowed to describe the limits of what someone knows or understands, which is why it’s often used today in phrases like “beyond my ken.”